Tim Blake Nelson and James Franco To Join The Coen Bros. THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS
Looks like the Coen Bros. have started casting their upcoming anthology western series. I assumed they would get some big name actors involved with the project and it seems as though they have. It was previously revealed that the series would comprise of six segments and each one would focus on a different character.
According to the Tracking Board, Tim Blake Nelson (Hulk, O Brother, Where Art Thou) is in talks to take on the lead role in the first segment, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. James Franco is also set to star in one of the other segments called Near Algodones. This is the first time Franco will have worked with the Coen Bros. Those two actors will be joined by Zoe Kazan, Tyne Daly, Stephen Root and Ralph Ineson.
Here are the details that were released on each of the segments including what actors may end up being involved with each one:
“The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs” follows a singing cowboy. Tim Blake Nelson will play the title character.
“Near Algodones” is about a high-plains drifter whose own fecklessness dogs his attempts at bank robbery and cattle driving. James Franco, Stephen Root (The Ladykillers) and Ralph Ineson (The Witch) will star in this one.
“Meal Ticket” follows an actor and impresario of a traveling show.
“All Gold Canyon” is about a prospector who happily finds a gold seam but then unhappily finds an evil encroacher.
“The Gal Who Got Rattled” follows two trail bosses on the Oregon Trail and a woman on the wagon train who needs the help of one of them and who might be a marriage prospect for the other. We hear Zoe Kazan (The Big Sick) will play the titular “gal.”
“The Mortal Remains” follows five very different passengers on a stagecoach of mysterious destination. We hear Tyne Daly (Spider-Man: Homecoming) will star in this one.
The show is scheduled to start production later this month in New Mexico and it will be released sometime in 2018.
I'm a big fan of the Coen Bros. They know how to tell a great entertaining story and the fact they are jumping back into the western genre is exciting. It was previously said that the series "intends to pursue an innovative approach that could combine television and theatrical." It'll be interesting to see what that exactly means.